Electric lantern.



T. M. JENKS & A. W. KNUTSON.

H. B. JBNKS, ADMINISTBATRIX or T. m. JENKS, DEOD.

ELECTRIC LANTERN.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 22, 1910.

998,849. Patented July 25, 1911.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS M. JENKS, DECEASED (HARRIET B. JENKS, ADMINISTRATRIX,) AND ALFREDw. KNUTSON, OF GALESBURG, ILLINOIS; SAID KNUTSON ASSIGNOB TO SAIDHARRIET B. JENKS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented'July 25, 1911.

Application filed April 22, 1910. Serial No. 557,089.

T a all whom it may concern:

Be it known that THOMAS M. .Jnnxs, deceased, late a citizen of theUnited States, and a resident of Galesburg, in the county of Knox andState of Illinois, and ALFRED W. KNUTSON, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of Galesburg, in the county of Knox and State ofIllinois, jointly invented a new and useful Electric Lantern, of whichthe following is a specification.

The invention relates to that general type of lanterns which areprovided with a ball by which they are carried about and suspended, andto the particular type thereof known as railroad lanterns.

The object of the invention is to provide an electric lantern which isof the same general outline as is the ordinary type of" railroadlantern.

It is another object to provide a lantern of the type described which isinstantly lighted by the act of raising it.

A further object is to provide means for increasing the brilliancy ofthe light.

illustrate a simple and preferred means embodying the improvements;Figure 1 is an elevation partly broken away; big. 2, a detail, a planview; and Figs. 3 and 4, details.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, thesame one indicating the samepart in the different figures, 1 indicates a lantern base provided witha cup 2 adapted for the reception of an source of electric supply, shownhere as a ry cell 3, the latter equipped with the usual wire-securingmeans 4.

Fixed to the cup, 2.are the ordinary frame or guard wires 5, united neartheir midlengths by a brace wire 6, and at their upper portions, fixedto and supporting a cap '7. The base, frame-wires and cap we shallhereinaft-er term the frame.

One end of a. bail 9 is ivoted in a bearing 1.0 at the upper: art 0 theframe and its other end is pivote tact point 11 fixed on the oppositeside thereof. The bail ma be jointed as shown at m, Fig. 2, if. preerred. Another contact point. 19 is supported by one of the frame wires5 and is provided with wiresecuring means 12, the point'll. beingprovided-with. similar wire-securing means 13.

Aplate 1.4- is suitably secured on the top of. thereceptaole 2;. and.is, provided with supporting .means' 15 by which a globe 15 is In theaccompanying drawings, whichin a bearing in a con held in position. Afilament (incandescent) lamp 16 supported on the plate 14.- is connectedto an insulated wire 17 leading from the cell 3, andsaid wire leads alsoto the contact 1%). A wire 26 connects the cell 3 with the lamp. Thecontact point 11 is connected to the cell by an insulated wire 20. Apivot screw 21 is threaded into the point 19 and upon it is pivoted ametallic sliding plate 22 having a slot 24, which plate we shall for thepurposes hereof term a secondar contact point. Insulation 25 is em--bedded in the contact-point 19, and a brush 28 is secured place therebyand by an insulated washer 25, the latter being held in place by the nut12 forming a part of the securing means. The ends of all wires arestripped of insulation in the ordinary manner.

To increase the brilliancy of the lamp, in order that it may be seen ata great distance, an annular series of prisms 23 are suitably mounted onthe plate 14, surrounding the filament lamp 16.

In. operation, the parts being in the relative positions shown by fulllines in Fig. 2,

upon the operator raising the lamp by the bail 9, it will raise thepoint 11 to the dot line position there shown and into contact with thepoint 19, it being understood that the secondary point has also beenplaced in the dot line position. In swinging the lamp as a signal, thecentrifugal .force will hold the points in contact and the lamp will belighted as in lifting it by the bail. lVhen it.

is desired to extinguish the lamp, it may be done by releasing the bail,whereupon the point 11 will fall by gravity and the circuit broken.

Should it be desirable that the lamp be lighted when not suspended bythe bail, this may be effected by sliding the secondary contact pointinto the position shown-by full lines at Fig. 2 to complete the circuit.

The prisms will greatly accentuate the brilliancy and penetration of thelight rays emanating from the lamp 16. It will be understood, however,that they might be replaced by other means for causing such increasedluminance. It will be evident also that other means than those shown maybe employed for effecting the contact and thus completing the circuit,and that other means than those shown may be substituted for keeping thecircuit constant. We do not,

therefore, desire to be understood as limiting our claims to specificconstructions, 'as all such changes and modifications may be made asfall within the scope of the invention.

\Ve claim as our invention:

1. An electric lantern comprising in combination a skeleton frame, asource of elec-' tric supply supported thereby, a globe adapted to castlight in all directions, dis posed within said frame, a swinging bailadapted for the passage of the users arm, and to fall at the side oftheframe when disengaged, a contact point supported thereby, a contactpoint on said frame, said points normally spaced apart, and connectionsbetween said supply source and contact points, said points being adaptedto be brought into contact by the gravity of the lantern when it issuspended from the bail.

2. An electric lantern comprising a frame, a contact point supportedthereby, a movable contact point, a swinging bail, one of its endspivoted in the frame and its other end in the movable contact-pointhereinafter recited for bringing said contact points into engagementwhen the lamp is lifted, a metallic plate pivoted to the first recitedcontact-point and adapted for engagement with the movable contact point,a source of electric supply connected with said points, a lamp connectedtherewith, and an annular series of prisms surrounding said lamp.

3. In an electric lantern of the railroad type, a base including areceptacle, a battery disposed therein, an apertured plate disposedabove said receptacle, a lamp supported on said plate and adapted tocast light in all directions, a wire connecting it with said battery, askeleton frame surmounting said base and disposed about said lamp, astationary contact-point supported by said frame, a wire connecting itwith the battery, a movable contact-point, a wire connecting it with thebattery, and a swinging bail, one of its ends pivoted in said frame andits other end in the movable point, whereby a circuit is completed bythe act of lifting said lantern by the bail, a circuit between saidcontact points and lamp.

4. An electric lantern of the railroad type comprising a base includinga receptacle, a

battery disposed therein, an apertured platedisposed above saidreceptacle, a lamp supported on said plate and adapted to cast light inall directions, a wire connecting it with said battery, a skeleton framesurmounting said base and disposed about said lamp, a stationarycontact-point supported by said frame,a wire connecting it with saidbattery, a movable contact point, a wire connecting it with the battery,and a bail, one of its e'nds pivoted in the frame and its other end inthe movable contact point, whereby a circuit may be completed betweensaid contact-points and said lamp by the gravity of the foregoingrecited elements suspended from the bail.

5. An electric lantern of the railroad type comprising a base includinga receptacle, :1 battery disposed therein, an apertured plate disposedabove said receptacle, a lamp supported on said plate and adapted tocast light in all directions, a wire connecting it with said battery, askeleton frame surmounting said base and disposed about said lamp, astationary contact-point supported by said frame, a wire connecting itwith said bat-tery, a movable contact-point, a wire connecting it withthe battery, a bail, one of its ends pivoted in the frame and its otherend in the movable contact-point, whereby a circuit may be completedbetween said contact points and said lamp by the act of lifting thelantern by means of the bail, and means for bringing said contact pointsinto engagement when the lantern is at rest and no weight suspended fromthe bail.

6. An electric lantern ofthe railroad type comprising a base including areceptacle, :1 battery disposed therein, an apertured plate disposedabove said receptacle, a lamp supported on said plate and adapted tocast light in all directions, a wire connecting it with said battery, askeleton frame surmounting said base and disposed about said lamp, astationary'contact-point supported by said frame, a wire connecting itwith said battery, a movable contact-point, a wire connecting it withsaid battery, a bail, one of its ends pivoted in the frame and its otherend in the movable contact point, whereby a circuit may be completedbetween said contact-points and said lamp by the act of lifting thelantern by means of the bail, and a pivoted plate for bringing saidcontact points into engagement when the lantern is I:gtfiest and noweight suspended from the 7. An electric lantern of the railroad typecomprising a base including a receptacle, a battery disposed therein,frame-wires fixed to and rising from said base, a lamp within saidframe, a wire connecting it with said battery, a cap supported on saidframewires, a contact-point on said cap, a contactpoint pivoted to theframe, a swinging bail, one of its ends pivoted in a bearing in theframe and its other end in said pivoted contact-point whereby saidpoints will be brought into contact by the act of raising the lantern bymeans of said bail, a wire connecting one of saidcontact-points and thebattery, and a wire connecting the other of said contact-points and saidlamp.

8. An electric lantern of the railroad type comprising a base includinga receptacle, a battery disposed therein, a frame including frame-wiresfixed to and rising from said base, a lamp within said frame, a wireconnecting it with said battery, a cap supported on said frame-wires, acontact-point on said cap, a contact-point pivoted to a frame-wire, ametallic plate pivoted to the first recited contact-point and adapted tobe brought into contact with the other, a swinging bail, one

of its ends pivoted in a bearing in the frame and its other end in saidpivoted contact-- a one of said points and the battery, and awireconnecting the other of said points-and the lamp.

In witness whereof we have hereunto If fixed our signatures atGalesburg, Illinois this 16th day of F ebriiary, 1910.

' HARRIET B. JENKS, Adrnim'stmtm'm of the estate of Thomas M. Jenlcs,deceased. A

ALFRED W. KNUTSON.

Witnesses:

WM. T. WISEMAN WEBB A. Hnnnocxmz.

Copies of this parent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

. wuhington, D. G.

